1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing a support system for mounting components of a flood light unit or system in a desired position within a roof or gable overhang area.
2. Background Information
The applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,222,800; 5,074,515; 5,068,772; 4,972,339; 4,829,410; 4,471,416; 4,313,154; 4,050,603; 2,963,253 and 2,809,002; issued respectively to Chan et al., Carter, Shapiro et al., Gabrius, Patel, Druffel, Capostagno et al., Harris et al., Maier et al. and Rudolph; each found during a search. Rules 97 through 99 have been complied with in Applicants' enclosing copies of the above cited references with the original application in this case.
The Rudolph '002 reference discloses an adjustable bar hanger for installing electrical fixtures between a pair of non-pitched ceiling joists. It also discloses a pair of telescoped M-shaped bars having a clamping device comprising a saddle telescoping its support bars. The Rudolph reference, like the Maier reference are examples of similar types of inventions disclosing attempts to facilitate easier installation of electrical outlet boxes between wall studs or ceiling beams; and concerning themselves with mounting means where a supporting bar consisting of two slideable telescoped sections is adopted to extend between and be fastened to two adjacent wall studs or ceiling beams; and where means are provided at a suitable point on the bar for fitting into an opening in an outlet box to secure the box thereto.
The Carter '515 reference is an example of an invention together with other examples, including the Chan '800 and Druffel '416 references, where some capability is given to adjust the pitch or angle of a conventional junction box or light retaining frame or unit being utilized in a substantially flat ceiling area inside a building within its spaced joists in the ceiling. Carter discloses a hanger bar for ceiling fixtures of the pivotally connected variety, which can be adjusted to accomodate the bar to different horizontal joist spacings while disclosing the ability to secure the bar firmly in place between two ceiling joists when each of two sections of a bar are placed into linear alignment with one another.
None of the references specifically illustrate or teach the present invention. Nor is the present invention obvious in view of any of the known prior art references listed herein. In addition, all of the prior art heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages:
(a) The prior art references do not disclose an easily assembled device which is available and functions as a one unit assembly capable of easily resolving the placement and support problems of securing an electric lighting system or flood light unit to the corner or side eaves overhang areas created by roof rafters, positioning of soffit board and the facia board of a roof or gable area on upper portions of houses or buildings.
(b) The prior art inventions further provide no optimally cost/time effective means to place lighting units level with a soffit board installation, while easily within the same unit compensating for an existing pitch or angle in the roof and supporting rafters adjacent to a preselected eaves overhang area.
(c) The prior art devices further fail to provide an optimally effective means with the use of one easily preassembled unit to adjust the electric box being installed to house and support a lighting unit in an eaves overhang area for special or preselected placement of the light, or centering thereof, between unequally spaced or positioned rafters of a roof adjacent to an overhang area.
(d) Additionally, the prior art devices do not provide, without piecemeal assembly, the ability in one easily assembled and installed assembly, the ready capability of contemporaneously adjusting diagonal or rotational position, vertical and horizontal position, in installing a light support system so that the light may be installed substantially level with a soffit member in a roof or gable overhang; or otherwise level in a preselected position in any building eaves overhang area, whether under a pitched or flat section of a roof area.
In the past in a substantial number of construction jobs involving contracting for building many types of buildings and homes having pitched or flat roofed areas creating overhang areas where it was desired to have a light installed; it has often been the case where electric contractors have needed to leave electric wires exposed in the upper eaves or overhang areas for later piecemeal, inconsistent or unplanned or fabricated construction of a supporting means to somehow hold a light or flood light unit in a preselected position, such as the corner eaves overhang of a home. Therefore, it has almost always, or substantially often, been necessary for an additional worker or subcontractor to come out to a building site to fabricate whatever support pieces might work, or be randomly constructed, in an overhang area to support a light before installing a soffit board member or other covering for the area in and around the lighting fixture, to give the building or home eaves area a sightly or finished appearance. All of which has led to wasted time, energy and expense. The problem has also led to the construction at different eaves portions in a given building, commonly worked on by contracting construction personnel; of different, inconsistent, piecemeal eaves light supporting or securing structures.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a novel, cost and time effective, and consistently installable and useable, light support, preassembled assembly of reasonably simple construction for use in an eaves overhang area of a home or building having roof rafters and a facia board in such an area; for expedited, simple and quick installation in such an eaves space.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a ready-made, easily-preassembled light support assembly which inables a worker to have a consistent method of installing the assembly on rafters in a roof overhang area, supporting a pitched or flat roof in such an area, where this pitch (angle) or flatness can be easily compensated for, installing the assembly so that it mounts flush or seated to the level or anticapated level of a soffit board or other covering in an eaves area to permit a more easily obtained finished appearance while supporting a light fixture.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a pitch stabilizing, positionable eaves-overhang light or flood light support system which by its inherent nature provides an improved, novel method of installing a light support assembly in a roof or gable eave or overhang area of a roof which easily compensates for the pitch or angle (or other position such as flat) of a roof-supporting rafter, any different or unequal spacing between such roof or support rafters and any related positioning of a facia board, soffit board, or related construction in and a part of an overhang area.